Game of Thieves
by AnCailin
Summary: Sarah McNealy was not in Henry's storybook. As far as she knew, she didn't correspond to any of the characters. Plagued with strange nightmares since the hands on the clock came back to life, Sarah is caught up in the mix when her roommate's son, Henry, falls into a coma. With a simple kiss, memories of a life she's never seen before rush back to her. Who is she? Killian Jones x OC
1. Chapter 1: Drowning

**Ok, so I'm new to this site and haven't really figured out how things work. So for any weird display issues or anything, please forgive me.**

**On another note, thank you for reading! The first few chapters may seem a little slow since it's mainly setting up events for later on in the story. Killian doesn't show up for a bit (about…5 or 6 chapters. Though some of the chapters are really short.). So please bear with me! This beginning is necessary for later on.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ONCE or its characters.**

[one: Drowning]

"Hey, Sarah!" Henry's cheery voice called from a table in Granny's. He waved his hand erratically over his head. Sarah laughed at the boy and waved back, her breathtaking green eyes flashing with amusement.

"Henry," she greeted, sitting next to the boy. She gave a smile to his mother, her roommate, who sat across from him. "Emma."

"Hey," Emma greeted, a tight smile on her face. Judging by her stressed posture, Henry had been trying to convince her _again_ about Operation Cobra.

"Sarah, you believe me, don't you?" Henry asked, looking for reassurance. His eyes sparkled with hope and she could feel a guilty tug at her heart. "About the stories?" Thankfully, before she could answer, Emma stepped in.

"Henry, Sarah isn't even in your story book," she sighed, grabbing his hands across the table to command his attention. "You said so yourself." He looked at her, brow furrowed in frustration with her persistent denial.

"Just because she's not in it, doesn't mean it isn't true!" He argued. "Maybe she just wasn't an important person – no offense, Sarah." He looked at her apologetically. Sarah just smiled in understanding. "Or maybe she was from a different world! Like Wonderland!"

She was actually glad she wasn't in the book; facing the truth that she may actually have another life, one in a fairytale land that she had always thought was a mere dream, seemed like too much. She was Sarah McNealy. At 23, she worked for her Uncle Frank's bar – called 'Pirate's Bay,' a pirate themed tavern – as a serving girl while her uncle taught her the ins and outs of the business, prepping her to take over the business in the future. Uncle Frank had no children of his own since his wife had died long ago; and when Sarah's own parents had died, he took her in and had treated her as his own. However, what was strange was that everything before her 23rd birthday was a blur of memory. Yes, she could pick out memories from her childhood, but for sometimes, they all seemed to be too perfect – like someone had made them up and put them there. But as far as she was concerned, the little town of Storybrooke, Maine was all that she knew – not some enchanted forest in an old book.

"Henry," Emma sighed exasperatedly, running a hand over her face. Henry's lips were pulled into a thin line.

"It's true," he said in a determined tone, though Sarah could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes. The one person he wanted to believe in him the most, his mother, was the hardest shell for him to crack. Sarah put a hand on his head in an attempt to comfort the boy.

"I have to go back to work," Emma mumbled. "Could you take him home Sarah?"

"Sure," she agreed, sensing Henry's further disappointment. With a quick squeeze of her son's hand, Emma left the diner. Sarah turned to Henry, putting a smile on her face. "Alright, kiddo; let's get you home before your mother has my head." Henry's lips twitched into a half smile.

"She'd rather have your heart," he joked. "Don't you remember? The evil queen steals hearts." Sarah laughed light heartedly, ruffling his hair a bit.

"Yeah, let's go."

_"Evangeline," a husky voice harshly yelled over cracks of thunder and lightening. A hand shook her body roughly. Sarah opened her eyes and met beautiful blue ones filled with fear and anxiety. "Love, come. We need to leave now." Sarah was confused, who was this man? But her body began moving on its own and words were leaving her mouth without her speaking._

_ "Why?" she had to yell over the thunder. "What's going on?" The man pulled a tunic over his muscular chest and snapped a hook onto the stub of his arm. Sarah's hand pulled the sheets off of her bare legs and got off the bed, the tunic she was wearing coming to her mid thigh. She ran to the window and looked outside, gasping at the sight. Large, menacing clouds rumbled overhead; lightening cracked across the sky. Thunder boomed loud enough to cause the ship to rumble. The ship rocked as the waves became angrier and angrier._

_ Suddenly the man grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the door. Her legs hesitated, her head turned towards the window. What was this storm? Sarah felt fear bubble in her chest and it felt as if she had never experienced fear until that point. As if he could sense it, the man wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side._

_ "Evangeline," he said, his voice firm but full of concern. Sarah's head turned to him, responding to the name. Sarah was confused; her name was not Evangeline. He sent her a warm look, a message hidden underneath. For a brief moment, Sarah felt warmth in her chest._

_ "I know, Killian," Sarah said automatically. Killian? Sarah was sure she didn't know a Killian. The man smiled, kissing her quickly on the forehead, before pulling her out the door into a hallway. He guided her down the dark hall, the wood groaning with the wind. Every now and then they would be tossed into the wall by the rocking of the ship. And with a big crash of thunder and the splintering of wood, water began pouring into the ship, surrounding their feet. The man looked down, concern filling his eyes, as he steadied them against the wall with his hook._

_ "Quickly," he commanded firmly. The water rushed around them, now reaching their knees in the matter of seconds. Sarah could hear the panic cries of men above them. They trudge through the water, seeing the opening to the deck at the end of the hall. As they continued, the water level rose until it eventually below her chin. "Take a deep breath." Sarah nodded, filling her lungs with as much oxygen as possible, before the two plunged below. The salt water stung her eyes as she reached in front of her to follow the man. And then came the part that Sarah knew so well._

_ They swam to the part of the ship where the wood was broken and debris littered the hall. It was like the lightening had struck the middle of the ship, breaking it in half. Sarah could never understand how or why it happened, but as the pair swam in and out of the debris, the end of her tunic was caught. She struggled to free herself and the man, upon realizing that she wasn't behind him anymore, turned to see her struggling. He began to make his way towards her and Sarah made eye contact him, knowing what came next. When he was within reach, the man's eyes widened with surprise and he was pulled in the opposite direction towards the opening. Sarah continued to tug until she was free and started to swim after him, oxygen beginning to dwindle in her lungs. Her vision began to blur and on instinct, even at her protest, her body took a breath, filling her lungs with water. Panic would take over. Sarah clawed at the water in front of her, fighting to get to the surface, but it would never come. Her body began to take huge gasps to attempt to clear the water, but it only served to do the opposite._

_ Sarah's chest burned, spots framed her vision, and fear had gripped every part of her soul. She was so close, her fingertips brushing the exit. But just as her fingers curled around the wood of the opening, her strength left her. Sarah felt death wrap its fingers around her soul and her vision went black._

With a gasp of breath, Sarah shot up in bed, filling her lungs over and over with air. She was tangled in her sheets, hair a mess, and no matter how many breaths she took, she couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. It was the dream – the same one she had been having since the hands of the town clock came back to life. Every night she knew it would happen, yet every night she found herself in the same situation. It was like her body thought the dream was real, believed she was actually drowning, and was following every instinct to try to get oxygen in her lungs. Her chest ached from the rapid spasms of her breathing and she could almost feel the burn in the back of her throat. She waited, sitting up with her hands on top of her head, until she caught her breath. And with a final sigh of relief, she got out of bed, feeling an urge to wash salt off her skin.


	2. Chapter 2: It Began With An Apple

**Figured out that my page breaks didn't show up...**

**Reviews would be nice! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[two: It Began With an Apple]

Sarah shuffled out of her room, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and into the kitchen. Emma was busy looking around the cabinets while Henry sat quietly on one of the stools. Sarah stretched and sat down next to the boy, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Hey, kiddo."

"Hi, Sarah," he smiled halfheartedly. As usual, he had his precious leather book held securely in his arms. Sarah returned the smile before looking around the kitchen. Emma stared at Henry with concern in her eyes. "You can't leave," he randomly said. Sarah assumed he was continuing the conversation he was having with his birth mother before she had walked in. She looked at Emma, her brow furrowed in confusion. Sarah had remembered that earlier this morning Emma had come home admitting to almost running off with Henry. Their other roommate, Mary Margret, had delivered a very firm slap to the blonde. Was Emma planning on leaving again?

"It's what's best, Henry," Emma tried to reason.

"You're leaving again?" Sarah asked in disbelief. Emma gave her a pointed look, one clearly saying she shouldn't have to explain herself. Sarah stared at her friend; she couldn't believe she was running again. After all of the things she had been through since coming to Storybrooke, she didn't expect Emma to relapse.

"No, it's not!" Henry argued, his voice rising in volume. "You're the savior! You can't lead! Everyone needs you!"

"Henry," Emma sighed heavily, resting her palms on the sink. His eyes quickly searched the room before landing on a plate with a turnover on it.

"What's that?" he asked, slight alarm in his voice. "Who gave you that?" Emma followed his gaze.

"Oh that?" she sounded slightly relieved that he changed the subject. "It's a turnover from Regina."

"My mom gave that to you?" he looked at her in shock. "It's poison! You have to get rid of it!" He quickly got up and made his way to the plate.

"Henry, that's ridiculous," Sarah spoke up, concern for the boy evident on her face.

"It's true," he said defiantly, looking at Sarah now. "I'll show both of you!" And with that he picked up the turnover, took a huge bite, chewed and swallowed. Sarah held her breath for a moment, fear that he might be right gripping her as she watched him stand there waiting. After a few seconds, she released the breath since the boy was still standing there as if nothing happened.

"Henry," Emma started, preparing to comfort him. But suddenly Henry's eyes rolled to the back of his head, the turnover dropped from his hand, and he dropped to the floor.

"How is he?" Sarah asked as she approached Mary Margret and Henry's sleeping form. The machines hooked up to the young boy beeped steadily, the melancholy sound only making the weight of the air heavier on Sarah's shoulders. Mary Margret closed his favorite leather book – she must have been reading to him – and gave Sarah a weak smile.

"He's peaceful," she replied, her voice tired. Sarah saw Mary Margret's worried eyes turn to the boy and placed a hand on the teacher's shoulder. Mary Margret was such a caring soul; Sarah wasn't very surprised when Henry had told her that she was Snow White. She could see the resemblance.

"You look tired," Sarah said softly, her accent adding to the comfort and serenity of her voice. "Why don't you go home? I'll stay here with Henry."

"Are you sure?" she asked, but when a yawn escaped her lips, Sarah gave her a stern look. A sheepish smile graced her lips. "Some rest does sound nice." She bid Sarah goodnight, giving the redhead a hug, before leaving. Sarah sat down in the chair next to Henry's bed, surrounded by only the steady beep of the heart monitor and Henry's soft breaths. She grabbed his hand.

"Henry?" Sarah called softly. She paused, waiting for a sign that maybe he heard her and would wake up. When he didn't move, she sighed deeply before putting a small smile on her face. "How about a story?" She waited again, glancing at the book for a second.

"This is a new story," she continued, thinking back to a dream she had back before the town clock started moving again. "One you can't find in a story book." Sarah stared at the wall as the memory came back to her.


	3. Chapter 3: The Tale of a Thief

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[Three: The Tale of the Thief]

"Come one, come all," a melodious voice called to all the passersby. The young woman motioned to the crowded street with her slim arms, beckoning them to her. "Test your skill!" A curious drunk wandered over to her, a bottle of ale in his hand – her next victim.

"Wha' ya got 'ere, dove?" the man slurred, a goofy, toothy smile on his tan and wrinkled face. The girl jumped off the crate she had been standing on, her knee-high leather boots kicking up dust from the street.

"It's quite simple, sir. I put this rock under one of these three shells, move them around for a bit, and then you guess which one the rock is under," she explained with a charming smile adoring her lovely face. Her sharp green eyes captured his, glinting with mischief. This poor fool stood no chance against her. The drunk stood, staring blankly at the three shells she laid out on the crate.

"Wha' happens if I win?"

"You get the lot," she smirked, patting the bag of coins attached to her belt. She saw his eyes linger on the pouch and her smirk turned into a smug smile. _Gotcha_.

"And if I lose?"

"What do you have to wager?"

"Oh, um," he mumbled, patting himself down before finding a small coin purse in his pocket. It wasn't much, but she could deal with it. This was her third scam today and she had pickpocketed a few men earlier that day.

"That's perfect," she assured him. He smiled, pleased with himself, and sat before the crate. She took a seat on her side, tossing her auburn curls over one shoulder, and cleared her throat. "Keep your eye on the one with the rock in it." The drunk nodded, almost falling over from the action. In a blink of an eye, she began to shuffle the shells. She could see the man follow the shells with his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration, and with a quick flick of her wrist, she slyly knocked the pebble out of the shell and into her sleeve. Suddenly her hands came to a stop and she crossed her arms across her chest, looking at the man expectantly.

The man leaned forward and stared at the shells, deep in thought. After a few silent seconds and second-guesses, he finally tapped the far left shell. She lifted the shell and revealed nothing but air. His face suddenly dropped as he gazed at the empty space. Placing a sympathetic hand on his downfallen shoulder, she quickly snatched the small coin purse from him and cleaned up her set up. And with a flip of her hair and a smug smirk on her face, she left her latest victim staring at an empty crate.

It was on to the next one.

Night had fallen and the woman had returned to the noisy, little house she called home. It was a modest shack – two stories with three bedrooms (each with its own bath), a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The living room, walls covered with stolen tapestries and floor covered with pillows and blankets, was filled with the others whom shared the house with her. She ruffled the cute blonde head of a small girl before setting a basket of fruit on the middle table. The children – there were three of them – immediately flocked to the table to indulge in the rare treat. She smiled at the little ones; while they were not her children – nor her nieces and nephews, cousins, family – she was still fond of them. Their mother, a pretty, middle-aged woman, thanked her softly.

"I see your day went well," a man, who looked a lot like her only more masculine with an identical accent, chuckled as he came down the stairs. She smirked at her brother, leaning against the doorframe separating the kitchen from the living room.

"I can't control if there are more fools running around with full pockets than usual," she laughed light heartedly. He placed a hand on her head affectionately. The woman loved her older brother, and since their parents had died, he was the only family she had left. Thieving became a necessity, but the siblings had been so good at it – practically born for it – that they quickly rose to the top of the ring and ran the largest guild in all of Slyveen. "And speaking of fools, have you checked on any of ours?"

Her brother waved his hand dismissively, "You know how they are. At least they completed their tasks and haven't failed to produce results." He patted a pouch on his belt and she could hear the clink of coins. She nodded approvingly before making her way into the kitchen to grab herself something to eat. She looked into a pot of stew that Roxanne, the mother in the living room, had made and grabbed herself a bowl.

"Rumor on the street is that there are a new set of pirates that docked this morning," she informed him while grabbing a spoon from a drawer. She hopped up on the counter and ate a spoonful of stew. Her brother leaned back against the table behind him, his green eyes – identical to hers – lit with interest.

"Pirates?" He wasn't surprised. There were always pirates docking; it was a port village after all.

"Aye, pirates," she smirked, mimicking the gruff ways pirates spoke. Even if she would never admit it out loud, the young woman loved pirates, envied them even. They travelled the world, having adventures, without a care in the world. Sure, they pillaged, killed, and stole; but how much different was she, a thief? The only difference was that she was bound to land, with no place else to go, while they sailed to far off lands. She enjoyed sitting in the tavern, listening to their exotic stories. And the strange, beautiful treasures and over abundance of coins were a plus.

"You know what that means," he smiled at his sister, knowing that these types of situations were her favorite. Anything to get to close to the pirates. And as long as she returned with her life, gold coins and a few new treasures, he didn't mind.

"Looks like I'm making a few new friends."

**So this was a sort of preview or sneak peak to the character of Evangeline.**


	4. Chapter 4: It Ended With A Kiss

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[Four: It Ended with a Kiss]

Sarah fell silent. That particular dream ended there. And it had been so long since she'd had any other dream besides her drowning nightmare that she wasn't sure if the story ever continued. She never knew the woman's name, but deep in the back of her mind, she had a feeling it was Evangeline – whoever Evangeline was. But at the same time, she felt like the woman was her; and she would question how her imagination could fabricate something like that. It felt more like a distant memory than a dream. It felt real.

She sighed heavily, gazing at the boy who had yet to wake up. She brushed his hair from his forehead, a small smile on her lips. Sarah was sure Henry would enjoy the company of a pirate – of course, not a dangerous pirate. Maybe one who gave up their life of piracy to open up a teashop or something, but a pirate nonetheless. She knew he would love the stories. She ran a hand over her face and glanced at the clock. Visiting hours would be over in fifteen minutes. Sarah squeezed Henry's hand once more, promising to come by first thing in the morning, and went home. She would try to get as much sleep as possible – tomorrow was going to be a long day.

"I brought coffee," Sarah announced in what was an attempt to be cheery, holding two cups of coffee in her hand. Mary Margret looked up from the storybook and gave her a sad smile.

"Thanks," she said, sounding tired. Sarah assumed she had gotten here early; she hadn't been home when she woke up this morning. In fact, neither was Emma. She was beginning to wonder where the blonde sheriff had gone off to if she wasn't here. "Do you want to read to him?" The redhead shook her head as she took a seat on the other side of the bed. She rested her arms next to the boy, laying her head down. In all honesty, she was still tired and just wanted to sleep. Mary Margret set her coffee down by her feet and continued on with the story she was reading.

As Mary Margret's voice continued to recite the story, Sarah felt her eyelids begin to droop heavily. She could hear the far off voice painting a vivid illustration of a beloved princess searching for her prince and strange thoughts began to surface behind her closed eyelids. What if Mary Margret was Snow White? What if everyone in town was someone from a storybook? And what if Emma was the savior meant to break the curse? Flickers of old dreams passed behind her eyelids, all of them as vivid as the reality she had been living in. For a second, Henry's claims seemed plausible. Maybe he was telling the truth. The flickers of her dreams began to blend together until she was sure she fell into unconsciousness.

Sarah was jolted awake as she was roughly pushed from Henry's side, nearly falling from her chair. She momentarily glared at her blonde roommate, but quickly forgave the boy's mother. While she had no children of her own, she could only imagine the panic running through Emma's head. Emma cupped her son's face, mumbling apologies under her breath, distress plaguing her eyes. Sarah felt her heart tug at the scene, placing a hand on her roommate's shoulder. The blonde glanced at the redhead for a second, earning a sympathetic squeeze on her shoulder. With a reassuring nod from Sarah, Emma bent down over her son and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.

At that moment, time seemed to stop. Sarah drew a deep breath, a sudden throbbing erupting deep within her soul. She could feel a pulse, something magical, flow through the air, passing over her like a sonic boom. And as quickly as it all happened, it stopped. Sarah's breaths came in short gasps as her wide green eyes met those of Mary Margret.

Next, the memories began flooding in.

**ALRIGHT! NOW IT SHALL PICK UP A BIT! The filler chapters are done!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Charmer at the Bar

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[Five: The Charmer at the Bar]

The port village of Slyveen was new to Killian; but then again, most places he ventured to were new to him. He thrived off of adventure – sailing off to new lands, discovering new treasure, ravishing new women. Captain Killian Jones was as permanent as the wind – nowhere one minute, but everywhere the next. He and his crew never stayed in one town for long.

Slyveen was their most recent stop. The Jolly Roger, his ship, was running low on supplies and it had been a while since his crew had even touched land. And to be honest, they had been out at sea for so long that he was afraid he might eventually get sea sick – even if the idea of a pirate captain becoming sea sick seemed ridiculous. Smee, his first mate, had suggested the port city, claiming he heard rumors that Slyveen was a mini Tortuga.

And when they had arrived, he was right. The decent-sized port was lined with other pirate ships, some of which Killian recognized from his travels. There were taverns and brothels everywhere – at least one per street; and a strange mix of people littered the street. Raucous laughter and the sound of drunken brawls filled the air. As he walked down the street, Killian heard bits and pieces of rumors surrounding a thieves' guild, even receiving a warning from a demented old man with a lazy eye to watch his possessions. But despite the unruly appearance of the port village, the captain found a charm to the small town.

He looked up at the sky; millions of stars lay overhead, telling the pirate that a drink was in order. He scanned the buildings, finding different kinds of shops and inns, before landing on a bar towards the end of the street he was walking on. Deciding he was in need of ale, Killian headed towards the bar and stepped inside of the crowded room. He approached the bar, ordered a pint of ale from the plain-looking serving wench who batted her eyelashes at him, and leaned against the wood counter. Seconds later, the girl returned with his glass cup, blushing when he thanked her with smile.

A loud whistle from the middle table erupted over the loud buzz of the tavern. "Wench, an ale for my friend!" a gruff voice ordered. Killian took a sip from his pint as his eyes fell on the rascally table. The man who had spoken stood, clapping a hand on a slim, delicate shoulder. The young woman, with fire burning in her bright green eyes, pushed his hand off.

"What are you idiots doing?" she growled, a melodious accent Killian had never heard before gracing his ears. She wore a deep, forest green shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, with a black corset hugging her slim waist. Killian admired her leather-clad legs, as he noted the way she confidently strode to each man at the table, pulling them to their feet by the back of their shirts.

"J-just having an ale, ma'am," one of the men answered, his voice cracking a bit. An amused smirk found is way to Killian's lips as he saw a subtle hint of fear cross over the eyes of the men. The woman snapped her head towards the man who spoke, her reddish-brown curls bouncing against the small of her back.

"And who gave you permission to disregard your duties to have an ale?"

"No one, Miss Evangeline," replied another man. He dared not to make eye contact with the green-eyed beauty when she was like this.

"Exactly," she growled, crossing her arms and glaring at the group. "You have your orders and I will not tolerate disregard of my authority. Now get to work, you fools." The men all mumbled a 'Yes, ma'am' before scrambling out of the tavern. A smug smirk graced her pretty face, giving her the look of a dangerous temptress. The captain had to admit her authority was attractive. There were few women he had ever seen that could send men away like dogs with their tails between their legs by a mere look of the eye. After surveying the tavern, she approached the bar and leaned over the counter next to Killian. "Two shots," she hollered to the bartender. She turned around before leaning back on her elbows as she waited for her order.

"Interesting show you put on, darlin'," Killian complimented, flashing her a sly smile. She glanced at him with those piercing eyes, her head tilted to the side.

"Tis not a show," she replied smoothly as the two shots were placed next to her. She downed one, slamming the glass on the table, before flashing him her own cocky smirk.

"Seemed a bit overdramatic for my taste," he said, grabbing the other shot without asking. "But I should expect nothing less from a woman." He moved to down the liquor, but the redhead took hold of the glass and stopped it from touching his lips. He looked down at her, raising an amused brow at her actions.

"Tis usually common courtesy for a man to buy a woman a drink, not steal one from her," she teased, a playful smile on her lips. Killian couldn't help but smile at this girl's attitude. She was beautiful, confident, and had a sharp tongue – a dangerous creature. And based on her attire and the company she kept, she was not that much different than himself.

"Aye, that is true," Killian agreed. "But I don't consider myself an ordinary man."

"And I don't consider myself an ordinary woman," she retorted. He didn't notice that they both still held the shot until she finally pulled it from his hand and knocked it back, placing the glass on the table. After rummaging in her pocket for a second, she placed a coin next to the glass and turned to leave. Still curious about the girl, Killian grabbed her hand, making her turn to face him.

"Let me buy you a drink," he grinned. "It is only common courtesy." She laughed as she realized that he threw her own words back at her.

"Thanks, but I buy my own drinks," she smirked, sending him a wink. And with that, she walked away, letting her hand slip from his. Killian cursed under his breath as his eyes swept over her retreating form. He had never been denied so bluntly by a woman before; he was Killian Jones after all! Women practically leapt into his bed before he could even blink an eye. But this one proved to be a challenge and Killian Jones couldn't back away from a challenge.


	6. Chapter 6: The Damsel in Distress

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[Six: The Damsel in Distress]

Evangeline waltzed down the dirt road leading to the port, the hem of her high-low ruffled skirt brushing the ground as her hips swayed. To a passerby, she would seem to have no care in the world, to be unaware of her surroundings; but it was just an illusion. Her sharp eyes saw everything: every twitch, every flicker, every shadowy shift. She heard every whisper, grunt, and crunch. The night, with its sights and sounds, was no stranger to her. So she wasn't surprised when the two pigs down the street started addressing her.

"Well, look a' this one," an annoying gravelly voice called out from under a streetlight. "Pretty lil' thing, don't ya think, Grim?"

"Aye, pretty lil' dove," a big brute of a man, missing a few teeth, agreed with his equally as rancid companion. He stood in front of her, towering over her 5'6" frame, with his arms crossed over a bare and scarred chest. He looked down at her with a twisted smile. "What's a pretty thing like you doin' all by 'er lonesome?" Evangeline merely looked up at the brute before stepping around him and continuing on her way. His friend sidestepped in front of her path, stopping her again.

"Now, now, lil' dove," he chuckled darkly, "It's awfully rude to ignore a man." She crossed her arms over her chest, drawing his eyes to the lightly tanned skin her shirt and corset left uncovered. She cleared her throat when she noticed his eyes wander.

"Please step aside," she asked, her tone sickly sweet. When the thug met her eyes, there was no mistaking the authority she held. For a second she saw him buckle, saw the flash in his eyes that hinted that he acknowledge the power she held, but it was only for a second. And just as fast as it had come, it vanished. He smirked at her, sending a look to his friend behind her.

"Don't think so, lil' thing," he replied. "I don't appreciate the sass you've been giving us." He roughly grabbed her small arm, squeezing painfully tight, and jerked her forward to throw her off balance. She stumbled a bit, crashing into his chest; luckily there were the tattered remains of a tunic keeping his disgusting filth from touching her.

"Get. Your. Filthy. Hand. Off," she growled out, her accent more pronounced by the building rage in her voice. The brute's dirty face pulled into a grin.

"Don't think so, dove," he chuckled. Her fingers brushed under the shorter front of her skirt, skimming over a leather strap. The other man, Grim as his friend called him, pressed disgustingly behind her, grabbing her hips roughly.

"You have until the count of three," she warned, teeth bared. The pair laughed and Grim grabbed a fistful of her auburn curls. With a yank, he craned her neck back.

"Or wha'?" he challenged. Evangeline gagged as his foul breath fanned against her face.

"One," she replied, eyes level.

"Oh no, she's countin'!" the man in front of her mocked, pretending to shake in his boots.

"Two," she growled. Her fingers brushed against a leather handle. She stroked it one more time for good measure, making sure her hold on it was precisely right. The man in front of her grabbed her face roughly, making her face him directly.

"Go on. Say it," he challenged, a glint in his eye.

"Three," she hissed, barely above a whisper. Before the two men could even react, she withdrew her dagger, kicking Grim and slashing at the arm of the man holding her wrist. The brute screamed in surprised, immediately clutching his bleeding arm and letting go of her wrist. With him distracted, she turned to Grim. He regained his balance and charged at her, swinging his fist wide. She easily dodged around him and ran down the road.

"Get 'er!" Grim's voice erupted in the air behind her. Evangeline only allowed herself one quick glance over her shoulder. The two men were catching up fast. Her breaths were short and loud to her ears; her heart was racing faster than her legs. She could hear the clambering idiots behind her, their steps heavy. Despite her better judgment, she let herself look behind her one more time; and as she turned her head, she ran into something…or rather someone.

"Woah there, lass," a familiar husky voice chuckled, a hand steadying her by the shoulder. Evangeline could only curse under her breath; of course, she would run into another brute. She looked up to give this one a piece of her mind, but instead met piercing blue eyes and a sly smirk.

"Ah, the charmer from the bar," she mumbled, her breath still coming up short from her pant. He chuckled at what she called him; charming she said. But his demeanor quickly changed when she glanced over her shoulder. The brutes chasing her were close enough to hear their labored breathing – though that wasn't saying much considering how loud they were.

"My, my," the man tsked. "A trouble maker, too? Darling, I can only imagine the trouble you cause your poor father." Before she could reply with a smart comment, he pushed her behind him and withdrew his sword. The two men stopped in their tracks, eyes trained on his sword.

"Just hand o'er the dove," Grim demanded gruffly. "And we'll be on our merry way."

"Sorry, sir," the charmer replied. "But I'm afraid she's mine." Evangeline couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. He glanced over his shoulder, a brow raised in question.

"I am no one's," she whispered, a trace of her laugh still intertwined with her words.

"For now, love," he shot back, flashing her an enchanting smile. Evangeline rolled her eyes before beginning to size up the prospects of this fight. The two brutes in front of her were tall and gruesomely muscled – probably pirates or something of the sort. And if they were pirates, they were probably just part of the crew; their stupidity only helped confirm it.

Now the man who stood before her, the charmer from the bar, was different. Yes, he was tall, not as tall as his opponents, but tall enough to where the top of her head only reached his shoulders. He wasn't the biggest man of the bunch she was currently with, but his muscle was lean and full of hidden strength. He gave off an air of confidence – mostly cockiness – and danger; the sword in his hand held with the grip of a very experienced sword fighter. His eyes flashed and a smirk adorned his lips as he stared at his opponents. Evangeline would willingly admit that he was handsome, extremely attractive even. There was no mistaking it – he was a pirate. Evangeline had been around her fair share of pirates – after all, pirates were awfully similar to her – and could bet that he was a captain.

A silence had settled over the group, eyes shifting from one man to the next. Then suddenly, Grim, feeling bold, unsheathed a dagger and charged at Evangeline's protector, swinging the rusted blade in his direction. With the flick of the wrist, he quickly deflected the attack; and shifting forward a bit, he brought the elbow of the same arm deflecting the dagger into Grim's chest. A satisfying whoosh escaped his lips as the air left his lungs; Grim stumbled back a few steps.

The captain trained his eyes on Grim, watching as he quickly recovered and came at him again. He blocked a series of strikes before finally hitting Grim straight on the back of the skull with the hilt of his sword. Grim's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he began to fall. But before his huge body could even collapse, his friend also unsheathed his dagger and ran at the captain's back. Evangeline gasped in surprise, causing him to look over his shoulder. And when she was sure she would see the charmer's blood in front of her, she heard the distinct sound of metal crashing into each other and saw a sight she had never seen before. Instead of a hand, the captain had a flawless, shining hook; and he had used it to block the dagger. Evangeline wasn't the only one who seemed to be taken by surprised, for the brute gazed up at the hook in confusion. The captain used this chance to kick his legs out from under him; the brute landed flat on his back with a thud and quickly received a kick to the head hard enough to knock him out cold.

"Impressive," she complimented as he returned his sword to its rightful place on his waist. "A little overdramatic for my taste, but I expect nothing less from a man." He glanced at her, catching her smug smirk.

"Darling, that tongue of yours will cost you one day," he chuckled. Evangeline opened her mouth to reply, but thought better of it. This was a pirate she was talking to; dirty jokes about tongues were probably not a good idea.

"Well, I must be off then," she said quickly with a smile. She held out her arms, gracefully and overdramatically curtsying. "Thank you, sir." The pirate returned the gesture with a bow of his own.

"Tis my pleasure, milady," he replied, obviously trying to not laugh as he did it. Evangeline let a giggle slip before disappearing down an ally and around the corner. She glanced back to make sure the pirate was no longer behind her and sighed, her smile not leaving her face. Her instincts were right: the man was a charmer. And as she did a pattern of knocks on a plain wooden door, she silently cursed not asking for his name.


	7. Chapter 7: Special Request

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[Seven: Special Request]

Evangeline burst through the front door, a sack slung over her shoulder and a grin plastered on her face. Her brother, who was lounging on the couch with his feet propped up on the table, eyed her with playful suspicion. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she held up a hand to silence him and dumped the contents of the bag onto the table. He quickly removed his boots as gold coins and other treasures quickly took over the surface. At the sound of the pouring gold, the bustle in the kitchen quieted and five men – the ones she had to hunt down at the bar – came into the room.

"Evangeline, my darling sister," Alexander, her brother, exclaimed. "You're brilliant!" He placed a kiss on the top of her head affectionately before running his hand over a golden chalice. The men, all thieves who worked for her brother and her, gawked at the treasure before them.

"I know," she smirked as she retrieved five small pouches from the pile and tossed one to each man. "Now the five of you, scat. You have work to do." The men nodded, thanking her kindly for their shares, and scrambled back to the kitchen to finish their meals before heading back out. Evangeline watched as her brother began sorting through her prize, placing coins in stacks of ten and piling anything else on the floor next to him. Acquiring the treasure had been an easy but long process. For the past week, she had been hanging around one of the local taverns, humoring the crew of one of the ships. It only took a few bats of her eyelashes and carefully placed smiles to convince them to allow her to explore their ship. And with patience and the aid of rum spiked with an odorless powder, she managed to leave them all sleeping as she made her way off with her prize in the dead of night.

"Were you seen?" Alexander asked absentmindedly.

"You insult me with your question," Evangeline scoffed, slightly offended that her brother, of all people, would doubt her ability.

"Relax," he smiled. "I was just making sure." And just as he went back to counting his new found gold, a knock sounded at the front door. The siblings snapped their attention to the door, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Based on the knock, it was a stranger; but the guild rarely had strangers knock on its door. Alexander cast a glance at the young thief, silently asking her again if she had been followed. She shot a sharp look back, again offended that he would suspect she had been caught. She knew for a fact that she hadn't been followed…or at least she was pretty confident that she wasn't. Alexander nodded before sounding a low whistle under his breath. One of the brutes came in from the kitchen.

"Answer the door," Alexander huskily said under his breath, his accent sounding dangerous. The brute nodded, his brow furrowed, and made his way to the door with his hand clutched tightly to the hilt of a dagger. Alexander stood, pulling his sister protectively behind him, and waited. The brute cautiously opened the door.

Evangeline's eyes widen in surprise when she caught sight of the two men at the door. One man, short and a bit gray, stood fidgeting with his red cap behind the other. He wouldn't meet the eyes of the brute by the door, unlike his confident companion. Evangeline recognized the leather-clad pirate standing in the doorway – her savior. She went to make her presence known, but her brother kept her hidden behind him.

"Who are you?" Alexander asked suspiciously, hand on the hilt of a sword slung on his belt. The pirate's eyes widen slightly in surprise; the accent of the man caught him off guard. _How common could an accent like hers be?_

"The name is Killian Jones," he smiled as charmingly as he could, although he doubted his charm would work on a man. He could only cross his fingers. "And this is my first mate, Mr. Smee."

"And your business?"

"We come looking for _An Cailín_," the pirate announced. "We were told he could assist us." Evangeline scoffed in disbelief. He thought she was a man?

"What business do you have with _An Cailín_?" Alexander asked suspiciously.

"We are seeking a very," Killian hesitated in thought for a moment. "Important item, but it is currently in the hands of another. We figured the head of the thieves' guild would know a way to acquire that item."

"What item is this?" Evangeline finally spoke up, confidently stepping from behind her brother. Alexander shot her a look of disapproval, which she returned with one of her own. Killian's lips pulled into a playful smile when he saw her.

"Ah, my damsel," he bowed slightly and took her hand. He placed a soft kiss on her knuckles, before flashing the most charming smile he could muster at her. Her eyebrow arched at the sound of the nickname. "What is a beautiful face like yours doing amongst thieves?"

"Save your words, charmer," she chuckled, a smile on her own lips. Alexander watched the exchange, not liking the way the pirate's eyes took in his sister's body. "It will earn you nothing here."

"You wound me," Killian chuckled, dramatically putting his hand over his heart. She rolled her eyes and began to casually circle them.

"So what is this item which you seek?"

"A map."

"A map, you say?" she repeated. He nodded in confirmation, his eyes watching in amusement as she circled the two men. "A map to where?"

"Now that is not important, love," he smirked, crossing his arms over his leather-clad chest. She stopped for a second, meeting his blue eyes in a calculating stare. Killian's smirk grew to a mischievous smile when he saw her eyes roam from his eyes for a second. When her eyes met his again, he gave her a look to tell her she was caught. She merely replied with a sly smirk of her own and began to walk in a circle again.

"And who has this map?"

"Blackbeard."

"Interesting," she replied, a giddy giggle ringing behind her words. Killian smiled at the sound. What she was doing with these thieves? She did not belong.

"So _An Cailín,_" he looked back at the man in front of him, who he assumed was related to his damsel – he was very protective of her and the resemblance was unmistakable. "What do you say?" The man let out an amused laugh, effectively earning a look of confusion from Killian.

"I am not _An Cailín_," he replied, a smile on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest, his green eyes dancing with laughter.

"Then who –"

"I am _An Cailín_," a delicate voice said from behind him. Killian looked over his shoulder at his damsel, who stood behind Smee. She smirked at her charmer's surprise.

"Oh," Killian turned to face her. Once he recovered, his signature smile graced his lips. "Tsk, tsk, love. I was right. You must give your father a heart attack." She strutted up to him, stopping a few inches in front of his chest, and placed a delicate hand under his chin. He saw her eyes travel over his lips before meeting his eyes and couldn't help but let his ego grow a bit. He could tell she wanted him; it was clear as day. Not much of a challenge after all. But before he could answer with a coy comment, she spoke up.

"I will have your map," she started. "Remember the tavern where we met? You will meet my brother there in two days time at midnight. Bring twenty pieces of gold. On the third day, I will bring you your map."

Killian stepped into the tavern and immediately strode over to the table in the back corner. His damsel's brother, whom he learned went by _An Scáth,_ was tipped back in his chair, boots propped up on the table top, with a shot in hand. Based on the glasses lined up on the table, it was his fifth.

"Ah, Jones," _An Scáth _smirked, raising his shot glass in greeting. "I was beginning to wonder when you would show up."

"I see you and your sister share the same taste in liquor," Killian replied, motioning to the shot glass. _An Scáth _downed the shot quickly and placed the glass on the table.

"She is my sister after all," he smiled fondly. "Please, take a seat." Killian complied, grabbing a nearby chair and straddling it backwards. He rested his arms on the back of the chair. _An Scáth _removed his boots from the table and sat up straight, signaling a serving wench over. After ordering two more shots and a pint of ale of the captain, he turned his green eyes over to the pirate.

"As promised," Killian started, discreetly passing a bag of gold coin under the table to _An Scáth. _He watched as the man looked down in his lap and silently counted the coin. When the thief looked back up, he was smiling.

"Very good," he approved, tucking the bag into a small pouch attached to his belt. The wench came back with the drinks and, with a few suave words and a carefully placed smile from _An Scáth_, she walked back to the bar too dazed to remember to ask for payment. Killian couldn't help but be slightly impressed.

"Impressive," the captain complimented, taking a sip from his ale. _If only your sister would fall for such charms, my life would be so much easier…_

"My sister is no fool, Jones," _An Scáth _chuckled. Killian raised his eyebrow in confusion. Had he said that out loud? As if reading his mind, his damsel's brother nodded, "Yes, you said that out loud."

"Well, I never said I thought she was a fool," Killian replied. "Quite the opposite really. She's brilliant." Her brother nodded in agreement. Killian noticed his eyes flick to a sight behind him.

"Speak of the devil." Killian looked over his shoulder and, as _An Scáth _had said, there she was, attached to the arms of two of Blackbeard's crew. His eyes ran over her body, clad in a navy blue tunic with a plunging neckline, a black corset hugging her tiny waist, and a dark gray ruffled skirt, the front coming to her mid-thigh as the back brushed against the floor. Her dark curls flowed down her back and over her shoulders, framing her pretty face as she smiled up at one of the men. She led them over to a table across the room and perched herself on the top while the other two flanked her in the chairs. She crossed her legs, causing her skirt the ride up just a bit more, exposing a little more skin. "I know she's a looker, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't gawk at my sister, Jones."

The captain turned in his chair – he didn't realize that he had almost turned his whole body around to look at her – to face her brother, who had a knowing smirk on his lips. _An Scáth _downed his second shot and glanced at his sister. Killian did the same before shaking his head, a smirk on his lips, "How does she not give you a heart attack?"

"Trust me," _An Scáth _chuckled. "I'm surprised I haven't died yet. It pains me to see pigs and scum anywhere near her, but she insists on using her…_charms_…to get what she needs. That's what makes her so good at what she does."

"_Charms,_" Killian scoffed, his eyes raking over her body again as he bit his lip. "Indeed." Probably feeling his eyes, she glanced in his direction. Killian sent her a smirk, and in response she sent him a look, arching her eyebrow in question. He blatantly and obviously looked over her body again, sending her the message, and gave her a wink. A sly smile graced her lips as she returned the wink with one of her own and hiked up her skirt just a little bit more to expose the lacy end of a garter. The pirate bit his lip again, inhaling audibly. Yes, charms indeed. The girl was no fool. If she wanted to play that game, then Killian would be more than happy to play right back.

"And it seems that she has you wrapped around her finger as well," he heard _An Scáth _chuckle. Killian turned fully around to face her brother.

"I beg to differ," the captain smirked. "I think it's the other way around."

"Don't be too confident in yourself. She always wins."

"Oh trust me, I don't intend on losing," Killian took drank the last of his ale and let a sly smile grace his lips. _An Scáth _shook his head, his lips set in a grim line.

"Be careful, Jones," he warned. "You don't want to get hurt."

"I doubt it's my heart that's in danger," the pirate joked.

His damsel's brother eyed the pirate warily before his gaze went to his sister. He muttered something under his breath, something Jones didn't catch, before shaking his head and getting up from the table. He gave Jones one last nod and left into the night.


	8. Chapter 8: Landlocked

**This chapter, I feel, is not my best…I wanted to wait until I could write a really good one before I updated, but it's been a month and I figured I owed you guys a little something for now. I've just reached this little gap of events that lead up to something I've had in mind for a while…I'm just having trouble getting to that point without totally skipping to it (If that makes sense…).**

**Thanks to WhimsyAndMuse for your reviews! To answer a few of your questions (many of which I'm sure others wonder as well):**

**Sarah's accent is hard to explain, but the closest existing accent would be Irish. Just a light lithe when she speaks normally.**

**As for the rating, I'm not really planning on having anything extremely explicit in here. Just a little bit of fluff every now and then when it's appropriate. I'm not entirely sure how the rating system is on here, so I used 'M' to be safe.**

**As for Alexander, your assumption of why he is bothered by the way Evangeline looks at Killian is correct. He's not used to his baby sister showing interest in a man the way she shows interest in Killian. And regarding his later role in the story, I've been tossing up some ideas for him. I'm just not sure what I want to do with him yet…depends on where I want to take the story.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ONCE or its characters.**

[Eight: Landlocked]

Rain came down in buckets over the redhead as she quickly walked down the street, her boots kicking up water. The hood pulled over her head did little to keep the water out. It had soaked through long ago, leaving her hair wet and clinging to her face. Luckily, she had tucked the map away enough to protect it from the rain. The warm light of the tavern washed over her as she stepped in, her eyes scanning for the familiar form.

"You're a mess," a voice softly said in her ear from behind her. She quickly spun around, her soaked cloak hitting the boots of the person behind her with a slosh. Her hand found the hilt of her dagger strapped to her thigh as she placed her other hand over the map to ensure that it was still there. Killian Jones held up his hands – or well, hand and hook – in surrender, failing to keep the look of amusement off of his face. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Fool," she growled, spinning on her heel and heading towards a table in the back room. She pulled the cloak from her shoulders, throwing it over the back of her chair, and shook out her curls. Combing her fingers through the tangled auburn mess, she sat down and looked up at her companion when he didn't follow her lead. "Well, are you going to stand there all night or are you going to keep me company?" she asked, nodding her head towards the chair across from her.

"If you insist, mi lady," he smiled, sitting down. Evangeline pulled out the map from behind her and waved it slightly in the air.

"As you wished."

"Ah, so the rumors of your skill hold true," Killian replied, looking impressed.

"You doubted my ways?"

"Of course not," he smiled charmingly at her and went to reach for the map. "Now if you could just –"

"Mm, I do have one condition," Evangeline smirked while pulling the map farther out of his reach and pushing his hand away.

"You've been paid, love," Killian reminded, a confused look crossing his eyes.

"I am aware, captain," she smiled, crossing her arms on top of the table after tucking the map back in her bag behind her back. "Tell me what the map is for." She had looked at it before she had come to meet him, but the names of the lands were unfamiliar to her. Curiosity was eating at her.

"That was not part of our agreement," he leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"Jones, I'm a thief," she reminded, giving him a look. "Since when do I abide to the rules?"

"Well, I would think that you would at least have the decency to honor your word," he shot back.

"Mm, you wound me with your words," she held her hand over her heart. "I haven't gone back on my word. I have your precious map and you will get it…" Killian eyed her carefully. Being a pirate, he was used to being sly, deceitful, and cunning…but being on the opposite end of it; being played by the beautiful thief in front of him was a different story. How could he get out of this when his opponent was the same as himself?

Sighing heavily, he replied jokingly, "If I tell you, I'll have to kill you."

"Please, captain," she smiled, leaning forward on the table. "I doubt you'd kill me after all the effort you've put in to save me in the past."

"Mm, and you're beginning to make me regret such actions," he hummed, rubbing his mouth with his hand.

"It's just a map, captain," Evangeline sighed, resting her head in her hand. "What's the worse I could do?"

"Charm my crew, steal my ship, and make off with what's mine," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Please, Jones," she rolled her eyes. "If I was capable of such things, I wouldn't have stayed in this god-forsaken land for so long…" It was then, as she said these words, that Killian noticed a look in her eye that he hadn't noticed before. There was a fire burning there – the thief wanted nothing more than to be part of his world. Now not _his _personal world, but the world of pirates…she wanted adventure. Killian rubbed his mouth with his hand; how had he not noticed before? Given her free-spirited personality and the company that she kept, he shouldn't guessed that she fancied having adventures of her own to far-off lands.

And so he caved…the captain told her the legend of Neverland – how the people there never aged, how time seemed to stand still. Killian watched her as she listened intently, green eyes wide with anticipation and body leaned forward in attention. A small wave of pity washed over him as he realized how eagerly she soaked up his words, how awestruck she was at the end of the tale. For the pirate captain, this was normal; but it seems as though to the thief, this was extraordinary. Had she really not set foot off this island?

"A land where you never age," she breathlessly whispered, a far-off look in her eyes. Killian couldn't keep the amused look off his face; after all, she was reacting like a child. Evangeline stared at the back wall as her mind drifted into whimsical daydreams of sailing off to places such as Neverland; but the sound of the captain clearing his throat brought her back to reality. What was she thinking? Unlike the charmer, she was imprisoned here on land and would never even see the shores of Neverland – let alone taste the salty air beyond the shore of Slyveen. _Get your head out of the clouds,_ she scolded herself, a frown threatening to pull at her lips.

"Evangeline?" Killian tested, sensing the sudden tense shift in the girl's demeanor.

"As promised," she answered quickly, her tone businesslike. The look in her eyes hardened to something Killian didn't recognize as she placed the map in front of him. She quickly got up, letting her chair scrape loudly on the wooden floor behind her, and swung her cloak around to rest on her shoulders. "It was a pleasure doing business with you, Captain."

"Evangeline," Killian started, looking up at her with confusion.

"If you ever find yourself back in Slyveen, you know where to find me," she offered a half smile and curtsied dramatically. Killian stood to stop her, to ask her about her sudden change in mood; but she quickly turned on her heel and was out the door into the night.

/

"ARGH!" a snarl ripped from chapped lips as an arm, clothed in the tattered remains of a coat, swiped the contents of an old desk straight across the room onto the floor. "YA DAMN FOOLS!"

"Cap'n, I can explain," a man squeaked as the enraged captain picked him up by the collar of his tunic. The captain snarled again. "W-we thought she was jus' a street wench!"

"She?"

"A-aye! A wicked temptress, cap'n," the man stuttered, his eyes wide with fear. The captain stared at the man for a second, his eyes narrow, before roughly dropping him on the floor. The man landed in a scrambled heap before scurrying to his feet and backing away towards the door.

"Find 'er and bring 'er to me," the pirate captain ordered. The man saluted him and nodded furiously before clumsily running out the door. A devious smirk crossed the captain's face as he peered out of the small window in his quarters. "The wench will regret the day she crossed ol' Blackbeard…"


	9. Chapter 9: Five Days

**So close…this is the last kind of "filler" chapter before it picks up again. Don't worry; our beloved captain will make an appearance soon.**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ONCE or its characters.**

[Nine: Five Days]

Five days. It had been five days since Evangeline had stepped a foot out of the little house she called home. Five days since she could feel the warmth of the sun of her skin or the cool night breeze. Five days since she had seen her charmer. Evangeline had a five-day rule. She had to wait and disappear for five days after any major job. Usually by the time the fifth day passes, the ship carrying the pirates she had stolen from was long gone, somewhere out at sea. Unfortunately for her, she was sure her charmer was also long gone.

She stretched her arms over her head, relishing in the fresh salt air she hadn't had for five days. She balanced on the sea wall, her arms outstretched at her sides, as her eyes scanned the ships. Evangeline had never seen his ship, so she had no way of knowing if he was even in Slyveen. He had made no effort to see her or to tell her goodbye…

"Looking for Jones?" Alexander smiled teasingly up at her from his place at her side on the ground. Evangeline's mouth dropped and she could feel the heat flushing her face.

"What in the world gave you that idea, Alexander?"

"I've never seen you look so disappointed while looking for a ship," he jumped up next to her and elbowed her. She shot her brother a look. She wasn't looking for Jones…was she? "Five days apart too long for you?"

"Please, I can last five days without the man," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued walking on the stone seawall. Her brother followed close behind.

"I beg to differ," he chuckled. She cast a skeptical look over her shoulder at him, causing him to raise his hands up in surrender. "I never said you couldn't survive without him. I was just saying that you miss the pirate." She stopped in her tracks, and he bumped straight into her back.

"You think I miss him?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I don't think, I know."

"Don't be too sure of yourself."

Alexander rolled his eyes. "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy his company."

"I never said I didn't. It's been a while since someone with a decent intelligence has come through here."

"And now you miss it."

"I never said that."

"You don't have to."

It was Evangeline's turn to roll her eyes. "Let him sail the seas having his precious adventures and finding his precious treasures," she muttered bitterly, feeling a slight pang of jealousy. It irked her that in such a short time, he could leave this port behind in search of new places while she was left here…with her loving, but currently annoying, brother.

"Do you see Blackbeard's ship?" Alexander quickly changed the subject, noticing his sister's shift in mood. He knew it would be a touchy subject; she had expressed how amazing a life of a pirate must be when they were younger. She had always had an adventurous side to her he supposed…but he also knew she was too loyal to himself and the thieves' guild to actually leave the port.

"No," she answered after scanning the ships one less time. She was actually very surprised that no one had come looking for her. Most pirates were too slow to notice the missing gold she always swiped – after all, she would only take an unnoticeable amount from each ship. But a map? Why would he sail off without a map?

"Good," her brother smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in the direction they came in. "Do you think it's a bit too early to have a drink?" Evangeline rolled her eyes, a small smile adorning her lips, and shook her head.

* * *

"Ms. Evangeline," a tiny voice squeaked, touching her shoulder. Evangeline jolted up in bed, hand clenched on the hilt of a dagger she kept under her pillow on instinct. She slowed her breath and let go, sliding her hand out from under his pillow, when she noticed Jasmine, Roxanne's little girl, standing next to her bed.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked softly, glancing over her shoulder to the other bed in the room. It was empty – Alexander must still be out. She turned back to the girl, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear. Jasmine looked up at her, clutching her bear.

"I can't sleep…"

"Let's go back to your room, ok?" Evangeline smiled. The girl nodded and waited for Evangeline to get out of bed before grabbing her hand and following her out of the room. Evangeline opened the door down the hall and slipped inside silently. Jasmine's two older brothers were sprawled out on their respective sleeping spots, buried in blankets and pillows on the floor, while her spot and her mother's were empty. Evangeline sighed as she contemplated having Roxanne work for the guild in the mornings instead of the nights. Jasmine always seemed to have a hard time sleeping when her mother wasn't around.

The little girl pulled Evangeline to her spot, laying down and snuggling in the blankets with her bear. Evangeline followed suit, laying down next to her on her side and giving her a soft smile. "Can you tell me another one of your stories?" Jasmine whispered, her blue eyes sparkling with interest.

"Which story did you want to hear tonight?"

"One about pirates," Jasmine smiled. Evangeline chuckled softly under her breath as she tucked a strand of hair that had fallen across Jasmine's face behind her ear. The little girl was also fond of pirates.

"Alright, one story," Evangeline replied. "But then it's straight to bed."

"Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

/_Earlier That Night_/

"And how do I kno' I can trust yer word?" Blackbeard's gruff voice sent shivers down the spine of the huge man in front of him. "Ya said ya werked for the wench for years…why would ya betray 'er?"

"My loyalty lies with the one who has the most gold," the man grinned, his eyes trailing to the bag of gold on Blackbeard's desk. It was definitely bigger than any bags of gold the siblings had ever given him. And for what? All of his hard work, working his ass off as their errand boy for their precious guild? Sure, they gave him a roof over his head and food to eat. But he had seen all the gold they kept for themselves…and he was tired of it. So when he ran into one of Blackbeard's crew at a tavern looking for a wench that had sounded an awful lot like Ms. Evangeline, he didn't hesitate to meet with the pirate captain when he was promised a hefty reward.

Blackbeard looked him over, "If yer so willin' to cross 'er, how do I kno' ya won't cross me?"

"Trust me cap'n," the man replied, his grin never faltering.


	10. Chapter 10: Kidnapped

**Based on lack of reviews, I'm just going to assume that the story is going well and you're all enjoying it!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ONCE OR ITS CHARACTERS.**

[ten: Kidnapped]

"Wow," the little girl yawned, her eyes half-lidded with sleep. The dreamy smile on her face didn't falter as she snuggled closer to the guild's leader. "You always tell the most wonderful pirate stories, Ms. Evangeline."

"That's because they're about real pirates," Evangeline chuckled, resting her head on the top of Jasmine's blond hair. The night was still dark and the snores of her brothers were the only sounds keeping the silence from suffocating them. Jasmine shifted a little to get more comfortable.

"Are you friends with a lot of pirates?"

Evangeline paused, pursing her lips together in thought. Well, she couldn't say she had many friends – let alone, pirate friends. After all, she did steal from them. She hardly thought they would ever want to keep her company after she was through with them. But then the image of Killian Jones flashed in her mind, and she couldn't help but smile. "I wouldn't say I have a lot of pirate friends."

"One day, I want to be a pirate," Jasmine yawned once again, her eyes finally closing. "We'll all be pirates. You, me, Mommy, Aiden and Zachary, Mr. Alexander…You could be captain!" she continued sleepily.

"Perhaps," Evangeline chuckled. "Maybe one day, I'll have enough gold to buy you a ship, and you can have your own adventures. Then I'd be asking you to tell me stories."

"Really, Ms. Evangeline?"

"Well, if it's alright with your mother, of course."

"I think Mommy would be ok with it," she smiled, her sentence trailing off into silence. She shifted one more time before her breathing deepened. Evangeline glanced at the girl, before directing her eyes to the ceiling. After counting to 10 slowly, she decided the little girl must have fallen asleep and moved to slowly lift the girl off of her. As she was carefully lifting the girl, she heard the back door open with a soft creak and assumed her brother or Roxanne must be returning. Evangeline tucked Jasmine in, did a once over the room to ensure everything was in place, and silently left the room without a sound. Closing the door behind her, she let out a deep breath before heading towards her room.

When she hadn't even taken one step from the door, she heard the unmistakable bang of something being knocked over downstairs. She paused, suspicion bubbling in her chest. It wasn't normal for Alexander, whether he was sober or drunk, or Roxanne to knock something over when they returned after their nightly round. When she heard the shuffling of multiple footsteps and hushed gruff tones, she felt her body tense in anticipation. _Someone is in the house._ Immediately she rushed to her room, her footsteps making no noise, retrieved a ring of keys and her dagger, and rushed back to the room. Quickly locking the children's door, she slid the keys under a few towels and sheets in a nearby closet for safe keeping before creeping her way to the stairs.

The shuffling and voices stopped as her foot fell on a creaky floorboard. She quickly pressed herself up against the wall when she heard the whispers again, holding her breath. Evangeline recognized one voice, but the others were foreign to her. What was that idiot thinking, letting outsiders into their home? Her eyes narrowed into a glare as she peered out from behind the wall to the level below. The lights were still off and the house was silent. _What in the world are they doing?_

* * *

Alexander cautiously looked both ways before stepping out into the ally. He turned around, again shaking hands with his latest client, before walking back in the direction of home. This last job had been no big deal – simply swiping a painting from one family that had supposedly belonged to his client's family. But the weight of the pouch on his belt reminded him that it was all worth it. Deciding to celebrate a job well done, he stopped by a small tavern to buy a drink.

"My, my, look who we have here," a voice joked from behind Alexander. He looked over his shoulder, waiting on his shot from the serving wench, to be greeted by the same smirk that he was sure had captured his sister's interest.

"Ah, Jones," he smiled at the captain. "And here I thought you would be across the sea on the other side of the world by now."

"Aye, I thought I would be as well," Jones nodded, taking a sip of his ale. "But something seems to have come up." Alexander raised his eyebrows in question, but the pirate easily avoided his gaze. The wench placed the shot in front of him, which he quickly downed before placing a single gold coin on the counter and turning towards the pirate.

"As much as I am glad to have bumped into you, I'm afraid I must be on my way."

"Actually, I was just on my way out," Jones replied, putting his cup next to Alexander's glass and adding his own coin to the countertop. "Mind if I join you?"

"And what, pray tell, would you gain from walking with me?" Alexander asked suspiciously, eyeing the pirate uncertainly. Jones merely shrugged his shoulders, his face in an expression of indifference.

"Just want to make sure you got home safely."

"I'm not a girl, Jones," Alexander glared, offended that Jones had even uttered the excuse. What kind of joke was this? "Seriously."

"The truth?" Jones glanced at Alexander as they made their way out of the bar. "I'm worried about that sister of yours."

"My sister?"

"Aye," he replied, a small smile gracing his lips at the thought of her – a smile that didn't go unnoticed by Alexander. His own lips set in a grim line as he felt his protective side coming to the forefront of his mind.

"What about her?"

"It seems she may be in trouble."

"Explain."

"I happen to come across some of Blackbeard's crew in a tavern nearby earlier tonight."

At the mention of Blackbeard's crew, Alexander stopped in his tracks and looked at the pirate unconvinced. Blackbeard's crew? But Evangeline had said… "Impossible. Blackbeard's ship isn't in the port."

"Aye, that's what I thought as well," he nodded, his eyes flashing in something akin to concern. His smile was long gone and for a second, Alexander could've sworn he saw actual worry on the captain's face. "So you can imagine, when I saw them earlier in the tavern, I grew a bit concerned." The two men continued to walk towards the thieves' guild; this time, their eyes would flicker around them every now and then. Alexander heard Jones mutter something about Evangeline being a troublemaker before continuing, "My guess is that they're looking for her. I was hoping to check on her soon to see if she was alright."

"Pfft, they can try," Alexander scoffed, turning one last corner. Evangeline was a thief – a good one at that! It was her job to disappear without a trace. He was more than confident that she wouldn't be found, but he was touched by Jones' concern for his sister. It was strange having someone outside of the guild care. "I appreciate your concern, Jones, but I believe –"

But Alexander was cut off when his eyes fell on the door of the small home. Wood littered the ground from the destroyed frame – someone had kicked the door in. The slight wind blew the door back and against the wall, causing a consistent _thud_ to echo through the silent house. Alexander cast a look towards Jones, whose face held a grim expression. The captain put a finger to his lips and unsheathed his sword, Alexander following suit as he unsheathed his own. Slowly and silently, the two men entered the house and were greeted by darkness.

Alexander's boot hit something metal on the ground, causing it to roll noisily across the floor before hitting the wall with a loud crash. He cringed at the sound and quickly took in his surroundings to see if the sound had caused any movement. After a few seconds of nothing, he let out a sigh of relief while Jones swiftly jabbed an elbow into his side. The two locked eyes before slowly continuing on towards the stairs. Peering up at the light coming from the second floor, the pirate quickly spun around when he heard a muffled voice.

"Turn on the lights," Jones ordered in a whisper, his eyes searching where the sound had come from. Alexander complied, turning on a light. Barely illuminated by the glow of the lamp, Roxanne stared at the two, eyes wide with fear and tears running down her face. She was gagged and bound on the floor, an angry red gash dripping blood from her temple. She struggled to shout something to the two as Alexander rushed over to her to help her.

The gag barely out of her mouth, she managed to breathe out one phrase: "Ms. Evangeline!" Upon hearing the name, Jones felt a sense of dread and panic fill him. He left Alexander downstairs to tend to the woman as he sprinted up to the second floor. The hall was in disarray, blood smeared on the walls and tears cut into the wallpaper, and doors were torn open in a haphazard fashion. Jones quickly searched each of the open doors, his heart beating more rapidly each time the room came up empty. Finally he came upon the last room at the end of the hall, the door left untouched. He tried the knob, but found that it was locked. _Please let her be in there._

From his side of the door, he could hear the unmistakable sound of sobs. He pressed his ear to the door before speaking in a calm, but loud voice, "Alright, I'm going to break the door down. Back away from it." When he didn't get a response, he took a few steps back from the door before ramming into it. The lock gave and he flew through, hearing a squeak from the corner of the room. Turning on the lamp, his heart dropped when his eyes fell on three children huddled in the corner. No Evangeline.

"Don't hurt us," the little girl, surrounded on both sides by her brothers, pleaded, fear shaking her body. Her brothers edged closer to their sister, preparing to protect her if need be. Jones simply put his sword down and put his hands up in surrender as he approached the children slowly.

"I'm not here to hurt you," he soothed, kneeling down a couple feet from them. They eyed him warily but didn't say anything. "Now I have a very important question. Where is Evangeline?"

"Oh, my babies!" the woman from downstairs rushed into the room, nearly knocking Jones over, and wrapped the three children into a huge hug. The children latched on to her as if their lives depended on it. Jones rubbed his mouth impatiently, irritated that he had yet to receive an answer. When the little reunion was finally over, Jones cleared his throat to gain the woman's attention.

"Where is she?" By then, Alexander had joined them in the room, seemingly having just finished searching all of the other rooms for his sister. The worry was apparent on his face.

The mother looked between the two men, her eyes still wide with fear, before swallowing so she could answer, "They took her."


	11. Chapter 11: Finally Caught

**Thanks for those of you who reviewed! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!**

**This chapter was originally supposed to be longer, but then it would've been extremely long (which I'm sure most of you would be ok with). But at the same time, I wasn't nearly finished with it and it had been a while since I last updated, so I decided to cut the chapter into two. That way, you guys have something to read while I finish the second part.**

**I also apologize that it takes me a really long time for me to update. I'm a lot older than I like to think and have a lot of things that I need to take care of. But thanks for sticking around!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ONCE or its characters.**

[eleven: Finally Caught]

A groan escaped Evangeline's lips as her eyes slowly fluttered open. The first thing that greeted her was the pain coming from all parts of her body. It radiated underneath her skin, down into the core of her bones. Evangeline could barely make out the ropes binding her hands behind her back and her ankles together. She didn't bother to lift her head off the floor, her cheek pressed against the cool wood, as she squeezed her eyes shut against the faint glow of a distant lap. As she took in a deep breath, one that caused her sides to burn in protest, the memory of what happened flitted to her mind.

* * *

_Silence. There was a pause of silence before multiple footsteps made their way up the stairs, closer and closer to her hiding spot. Evangeline felt panic swell in her chest as she listened closely. _One, two, three…Six? _She counted the number of men in her mind. And based on the heavy thud of their footfalls, they were big men – much bigger than herself. As the steps came closer, she walked towards a room, her back still pressed against the wall. And in an attempt to time her run precisely, she quickly glanced over her shoulder to judge the remaining distance to the room, only to have the front of her tunic used to slam her against the wall._

"_Ah, 'ere's the lil' wench," a voice chuckled. Her vision swam for a minute and a throb echoed from the back of her head before she focused on the face in front of her. She let out a gasp when she recognized that he was one of Blackbeard's crew. _How? What in the world…

"_I told ya I'd lead ya straight to 'er," a voice in the back of the group announced, pushing his way into her line of sight. Evangeline's eyes narrowed into a glare when she saw none other than Jacque smirking down at her._

"_You! What on earth are you doing, you idiot?!"_

"_Forgive me, Ms. Evangeline," he smiled smugly while bowing to her overdramatically. "While I do appreciate all ya and yer brother have done for me, I'm afraid my allegiance has been bought." She growled, anger causing heat to flush through her body, and spat disgustedly in his face._

"_Now, now love, that's no way for a lady to act," the man gripping her arm smirked, his hand wrapping tighter around her. Glaring one last time to Jacque, she quickly wretched her arm from his grasp and stabbed his arm with her dagger. The brute howled in pain, gripping the wound on instinct. "Grab the wench!"_

_In the midst of the chaos, Evangeline tried her best to avoid the outreaching arms of the pirates around her. With a quick dodge of a fist coming her way, she managed to make her way to the lamp and blew it out, leaving the complete house in darkness. Unable to see anything, she quickly dropped to the floor and crawled through the crowd to get to one of the rooms. The pirates, not being the sharpest crayons in the box, continued to fight with thin air, daggers out and looking for flesh. She could hear the wallpaper tear with each slice and a few curses when they would knick each other or a punch would land on someone else's face._

_Evangeline finally made it to the room at the end of the hall – one that was the farthest away from the children. She sent a silent prayer that they wouldn't go in there as she quickly hid herself in the closet. Hissing in slight pain, she gave herself a minute to inspect the bruises she had received from being kicked while crawling on the floor. The brutes had found the lamp, illuminating the hall once more, and began searching the open rooms for her. She could hear the ruckus as they tore up her home and she quickly forced herself to think of a plan._

"_Hey, boss, this room's locked," she heard from down the hall as someone rattled the locked doorknob. "Maybe she wen' in 'ere."_

"_Well, don't just stand there! Someone open it!"_

"_NO!" she screamed, tackling the pirate preparing to bust down the door around the knees. His head hit the door with a loud thud. The brute groaned painfully as he clutched his head, shaking it to clear the stars in his vision._

"_Grab 'er!" Jacque ordered, lunging towards her. Suddenly, Evangeline was being crushed by the weight of all the men dog-piling on top of her and she felt like she was suffocating. "Yer a lot of trouble for a lil' thin' like yerself."_

"_Ms. Evangeline!" a voice gasped from the stairs. Evangeline struggled to look over her shoulder, her eyes wide when she saw Roxanne standing there in fear._

"_Roxanne, get –" before she could finish, one of the pirates hit her hard on the back of the head, causing everything to go black._

* * *

She felt as if she had been beaten, and she could feel the disgust threatening to creep its way up her throat. They had the audacity to beat her while she was unconscious – from the difficulty of breathing, they might have even broke a rib – but then again, they were pirates. Not the most honorable bunch. She lifted her head and took a look around her.

"Where am I?" she muttered to herself, glaring at the wooden walls. From the build of the room and the slight sway of her surroundings, she could guess that she was on a ship. Blackboard's ship. But she could've sworn that his ship had left port. She shook her head, pushing that thought out of her mind, and started struggling with her bindings. She had to get out of here; she had to find Alexander. She could feel her wrists rubbing raw as she tried to squeeze her hands through the ropes, but her progress was slow as whoever had tied her up did so extremely tightly.

As she continued to struggle some more, she could hear the echo of footsteps approaching the door on the far side of the room. Her eyes widened slightly in panic and her breath hitched as she tried to untie herself more quickly. Suddenly the wooden door began to squeak open and she stopped struggling, falling completely still. She pressed her face back against the wooden floor and closed her eyes, slowing her breathing, in an attempt to appear asleep. But whoever walked through that door saw through her rouse and jerked her head up by a fistful of her hair.

"Wakey-wakey, lil' dove."

* * *

Killian paced the living room, the sound of his boots mingling with the quiet sniffles and sobs of the three children huddled around their mother on the couch. Alexander followed the pirate with his tired eyes, elbows resting on his knees and chin propped up on his folded hands. The pirate captain had not stopped pacing since the group had returned downstairs after hearing news of Evangeline's capture and he didn't show any signs of sitting down any time soon either.

"Jones –" the thief started, only to be interrupted by said pirate's hook being raised in the air.

"I'm thinking."

"I realize that, but could you please sit down?" Alexander sighed exasperatedly. "Frankly, your pacing is getting on my nerves."

"How can you be so calm?!" Jones replied, his voice rising slightly in volume and a glare settling on Alexander. At least he stopped pacing. "Your sister has been taken by pirates!"

"I am aware, Jones, and I am also extremely worried for her safety, but one of us has to be calm in order to think clearly!" Alexander shot back, his voice matching Killian's volume. Killian sighed deeply, rubbing his hand over his face before looking at the other man. He was met with green eyes, the same green eyes _she_ had. But _she_ was somewhere, who knows where, tied up, and in danger. He wasn't even sure if she was even alive…

"We have to find her," Killian stated, ignoring Alexander's comment.

"But where do we look? You said so yourself. Blackbeard's ship was _not_ in port."

"I know but it has to be somewhere!"

"Well –" Before Alexander could continue the thought, four brutes walked into the room. Killian groaned, running his hand through his hair as he watched each one of the men give a different status report on various clients and assigned tasks. Alexander would nod every now and then to show he was listening, even though his eyes told that his mind was in a different place, and would wave each one away as he finished his report. When the final man completed his report, Alexander looked around the room with his brow furrowed in confusion. Right when the man was about to enter the kitchen to finally take a break from his assigned tasks, Alexander let out a sharp whistle, catching his attention. "Duke, where is Jaque?"

"'aven't 'eard from 'im since yesterday afternoon, sir."

"I see," Alexander replied. "Do you happen to know what he was up to yesterday afternoon?"

"No, sir. Last time I seen 'im, he was talkin' to sum brutes. Pirates, I think."

"Thank you, Duke."

"Aye, sir," Duke nodded before ambling off to the kitchen to claim his meal.

"So this Jaque fellow," Killian started out slow. "How much do you trust him?" Alexander groaned, rubbing his tired eyes.

"We're thieves, Jones. As much as I would love to put my faith in my men, I'm afraid I can't say I do."

"I-I think Jaque was here," Roxanne said meekly, her voice hoarse. It was the first time she had spoken since they had come downstairs. By now, her children had calmed down and were half asleep on the couch.

"What?!" Killian exclaimed, whipping his head towards the woman. She cringed slightly at the intensity of his gaze and dropped her eyes to the floor.

"Well, J-Jaque is relatively new to the guild," Roxanne explained, clearing her throat a little. When she continued speaking, her voice was a little stronger, "I haven't had the chance to see him much so I couldn't exactly recognize him…But one of the men seemed very familiar…"

"Are you sure, Roxanne?" Alexander asked, standing from his spot to look at the woman. She met his eyes and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Why in the world didn't you say anything earlier?!" Killian groaned, casting his eyes to the ceiling in an attempt to keep his anger from boiling over. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. This whole time…and she didn't say anything? He could've been one step closer to finding Evangeline…

"Enough, Jones," Alexander warned. "Thank you, Roxanne." His eyes flickered to the pirate who was busy strapping his sword to his waist. "And where, pray tell, are you going?"

"You heard the girl," Killian replied, heading towards the door. "Jaque was here with Blackbeard's men. He took Evangeline. So instead of wasting time, I'm going to find the bastard!"

"You don't even know what he looks like!" Alexander scoffed, following him towards the door. The pirate captain handed Alexander his sword and smirked.

"And that's why you're coming with me."


	12. Chapter 12: Salvation

**I know, I'm horrible at updating! I've been super busy. To give you a taste of how busy I am, just yesterday I had to deal with two (technically three if you count the spare) flat tires within the span of twelve hours. Longest day of my life.**

**But here it is! I feel horrible. And to make it worse, I'm behind on Once! UGH! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you for reading! And I'm sorry that the end of this chapter is kind of lame. I was more concerned with updating than a quality ending of the chapter...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own ONCE or its characters.**

[twelve]

"Get your filthy hand off of me," Evangeline growled, tearing her chin from Blackbeard's grasp. The pirate captain scowled, not amused, and held out his hand towards one of his men.

"I'll ask ya one more time," Blackbeard glared at her as one of his men placed a dagger in his hand. He inspected the edge of the blade before returning his attention to her, "Where is me map?"

"I told you," she grit her teeth, glaring at him. "I. Don't. Know." A frustrated snarl escaped his lips and he quickly turned, swiping the dagger across her face. Evangeline yelped in pain, the sudden movement causing her head to snap to the side. She stared, wide-eyed, at the wooden floor, feeling warm drops run down her face before the crimson liquid hit the ground. She rapidly inhaled and exhaled through her nose, trying to calm herself, as she felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. Her face stung, focused on a line stretching from one cheekbone to the other across her nose.

"You filthy bitch," Blackbeard muttered, spitting in her direction. Evangeline didn't dare look at him, her anger boiling. She listened to his footsteps, followed by the footsteps of his men, echo around her before the door to the upper deck slammed shut. When she was sure she was alone, she let out a scream of frustration before letting her head hang down against her chest.

Her body was tired; her arms sore from being chained and suspended to the side, parallel to the floor. Her knees were hurting and raw from supporting herself on the splintered wood; and her back still stung from where three fresh whip marks scorched her skin. And while they had left her face mostly untouched and in tact, she was sure her body, under her tunic, was black and blue. Blackbeard and his crew had been attempting to get answers out of her for the past 5 hours. Of course, she hadn't said anything, but she could feel her resolve breaking with each new injury.

Glancing at the shackles on her wrists and the cell she was trapped in, she sighed heavily, "I need to get out of here…"

* * *

"I'm going to ask you one more time, mate," Killian grinned, spinning a knife between his fingers before stabbing it in between the man's first and second finger. The man quickly retracted his hand from the table and stared wide-eyed at the pirate. "Where is he?"

"I-I don't know," the man stuttered. "I swear!"

"I don't like repeating myself," Killian stated, pulling his knife out of the table.

"I-I 'aven't seen 'im since last night!"

"Where?"

"At Ms. Lulu's place!" Killian looked at the man and pointed towards the door lazily with his hook. The man took the hint and scurried towards the door, knocking over his chair with a bang and slamming the door shut.

* * *

A disgusting laugh ripped through the air as Jaque's huge hand tore at a young girl's petticoats. The girl, overdone with make up and too young for the business she was in, let out a yelp and slapped his hand away. The devious smirk didn't leave his face as his eyes roamed over her body. It had been so long since Jaque had had this much fun, especially with such a young and pretty little thing, but thanks to the hefty sum Blackbeard had paid him for the redhead guild leader, he could have his fill of the ladies at Ms. Lulu's.

"Aye, come back 'ere, lil' princess," he teased, a booming laugh erupting when she shook her head rapidly and made for the door. Despite his cheerful demeanor, he could feel the annoyance building in the back of his head at the girl's resistance. He paid good money for her and he was going to get his money's worth. "Don't worry. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

"Leave me alone, you bastard," she shot back, her voice quivering at the end. While her stance was defiant, he could see the fear in her eyes…fear he instilled there last night when he first met the girl. He could still see the bruised outlines of his fingers on her pale, skinny arms. She should've been begging for him to take her, especially with how great of a time he showed her last night. _She's just a stubborn one,_ he reasoned with himself, overconfident in his ability to woo a lady.

"Watch yer tongue," he warned, making to grab her again. But once his rough fingers came in contact with her smooth skin, the door slammed open and the young girl was pulled from his grasp. He turned to look at the intruder and opened his mouth to spew out hateful comments; but those quickly died when he came in contact with green, glaring eyes.

"Jaque," Alexander growled, his accent deep and rough. The brute's eyes flickered down to the sword in his hand and he began to back away slowly.

"Why, Mr. Alexander! Fancy seein' ya 'ere!" Jaque tried to say casually. "Didn't peg ya as the brothel type. Figured ya could get any pretty dove ya wanted with that accent of yers." Alexander didn't say anything, his angry scowl deepening on his face the longer he looked at the brute. Jaque swallowed a lump in his throat.

"So _this_ is Jaque?" a new voice said, accompanied by the sound of boots. Jaque quickly looked over Alexander's shoulder and swallowed another lump when he noticed the newcomer. He wasn't a man he'd seen before, so he was obviously not from the guild; but Jaque was no fool – the air of danger he had about him had the hairs on his neck standing at attention. He knew he should be afraid of this man. "It has come to my attention that you have taken something from me." This man walked to stand in front of Alexander, arms crossed over his chest.

"I beg yer pardon, sir," Jaque said nervously, his eyes staring at the silver hook that replaced one of the man's hands. He had heard of this man before; he was a pirate captain – Hook. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"I don't appreciate you playing dumb with me, Mr. Jaque," the pirate captain tsked, casually inspecting his hook. His piercing blue eyes flickered back to the brute, a coldness about them sending shivers down his spine. "I would start talking."

"Honest, sir!" Jaque held up his hands in surrender, his lower back colliding with a dresser. "I have no idea what you're talking about. But I'm sure whatever it is, I would be more than happy to return to you! What was it? Gold? A watch?" Jaque tried to think back to all of the things he had stolen over the past few days. However, he couldn't seem to remember picking anything off of the pirate; the captain was pretty memorable after all and he was sure anything he stole off of him would be worth a great deal – something he would remember. But he honestly had no idea what he had stolen from Captain Hook.

"Evangeline," he answered, a fleck of anger entering his voice. Jaque froze, confusion creasing his brow.

"'cuse me, cap'n? Come again?"

"Evangeline," he growled, louder this time, as he shoved Jaque against the wall, hard. The framed painting of the wall rattled as it threatened to fall on the floor. He jabbed the curve of his hook right under Jaque's sternum. "Where is she?"

Jaque stuttered, his eyes wide on the sharp hook, as he tried to process what he stole from the captain. Ms. Evangeline? The pirate captain wanted Ms. Evangeline. A hysterical giggle escaped his lips as his mind processed the deep trouble he got himself into. Jaque could practically see his life flashing before his eyes, the cool metal of the hook or Alexander's sword piercing his flesh, and Death claiming his soul – all for a few pieces of gold.

"I suggest you start talking, Jaque…before I lose my patience."

* * *

How many days had it been? One, two, three? Evangeline wasn't sure. She had been drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to keep track of the sun through the crack under the door. She licked her dry lips, trying to think back of when the last time she saw the light of day was, but she couldn't remember. And besides the growls of hunger coming from her stomach, there was only one thing plaguing her mind: _where in bloody hell was that fool of a brother of hers?_

She had been expecting him to come for her long ago; surely he had noticed the disarray of the house and her absence and had put two and two together. He was after all her brother and she was pretty sure he shared the same intellectual capacity as herself. But so far, she had not seen a single hair of his head or the gleam of his eyes to tell her that her torment was over. She feebly tugged at the chains once more, only to feel the same amount of resistance.

The sound of light footsteps caught her attention and she sucked in a painful breath, resulting in a wince. The pain turned into a cough that sent her into painful, wheezing spasms. She warily eyed to door, expecting Blackbeard to come barging into the room as he usually did and begin his torture. However, she was pleasantly surprised when the door opened slowly and the handsome face of Killian Jones.

"Jones –"

"As happy as I am to see you, love," he whispered as he glanced over his shoulder and slid into the room, carefully closing the door behind him. "I need you to keep that tongue of yours quiet. I would rather my efforts to find you go to waste because you get us caught." He strode across the room and kneeled down in front of her, using the tip of his hook to work the lock on the shackle of her right wrist. Evangeline looked at the captain, a warm feeling filling her chest at the mention of his efforts. Had he really cared enough to even try to find her? He had no reason to care. But here he was, Killian Jones, and even her own brother was nowhere to be found. She'd have to have a stern conversation with that brother of hers when she got home. The nerve. He glanced up at her face and his brow wrinkled in confusion. "What happened to your face?"

"Excuse me?" Evangeline whispered harshly, slightly offended that he asked. There was nothing wrong with her face. He reached up, grabbing her face softly with his hand and running his thumb over the dried bloody edge of the cut across her face. Killian felt the anger he'd been feeling frequently since Evangeline's kidnapping resurface as he inspected the wound. It had scabbed over and the edges looked inflamed and angry, possibly from lack of proper care. Evangeline was reminded of the cut across her face and felt slightly foolish for forgetting about it.

"I'll slit the bastard's throat," the words came out in a deep, dark tone that sent shivers down her spine. The shuffling of footsteps over their heads and the sound of metal swords leaving their sheathes snapped Killian's focus to the door for a brief second before he set back to the locks.

"Jones!" The familiar tone of Alexander's voice called from the ship above. "You better hurry up! We have company!"

Eventually the shackles began to drop one by one, but Evangeline barely noticed as she was too busy listening to the muffled fight that was obviously going on outside on deck. How were they getting out of here? Killian wrapped his arm around her waist and hoisted her up. Then he withdrew his sword and replaced his other arm around her waist, his hook pressing against the small of her back and her body held firmly to his side. "Now stay close to me and don't you dare do anything stupid."


	13. Chapter 13: The Rescue

**I've been super busy, so I apologize for the huge gaps in updating...School and all. Well anyway, here's thirteen. Not that epic, but I realized that this story is probably moving reallyyyy slow and so...this chapter is kind of rushed. There will be a decent time jump between this chapter and the next. Hope you enjoy! Reviews are always welcomed. I'd like to know what you guys think about Alexander and would like to happen with him.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Once or any of its characters.**

[thirteen: The Rescue]

Killian barged through the door, tugging Evangeline behind him and holding his sword in front of him at the ready. He spotted the older thief dueling with three brutes who wielded daggers. With a quick flip of his wrist, he managed to unarm them and quickly do work to knock each unconscious one at a time. The pirate captain had to admit that the guild leader was an excellent fighter. Heavy footsteps alerted Killian of an oncoming attack; and with a quick tug, he wedged Evangeline between his body and the wall on his opposite side and managed to block the downward swipe of a dagger. The brute grunted in frustration and sent a swift punch to the captain's gut, a whoosh of air leaving his lungs from the force of the hit. But the captain quickly recovered and sent a well-placed punch to the man's nose, causing his attacker to stagger back and clutch the area. Killian wasted no time and delivered a swift blow of the hilt of his sword to the man's temple, effectively making his eyes roll into the back of his head and his heavy body slump on the floor.

"Impressive, Jones," Evangeline murmured behind his ear. The captain quickly glanced behind him to catch the amused smile on her face. "But I'm afraid Alexander may have you beat." She motioned with her eyes over to her brother, who had just delivered a swift kick to the head of his fifth opponent. Killian rolled his eyes.

"Show off." Evangeline only stifled a giggle, which ended up turning into a painful wince. Alexander strived straight to the pair, sheathing his sword and pulling his sister away from the pirate. Not missing a second, he wrapped his arms around her torso under her arms and picked her up into a bone-crushing hug. Evangeline was sure that if her ribs weren't already broken, they were now. Alexander didn't seem to notice his sister's painful discomfort and only tucked his head further into her hair.

"You're an idiot," he murmured into her hair.

"Alexander," she squeaked out, feebly trying to wretch herself from his grasp with her arms, but she was so weak that it did nothing. Her breaths came out in light wheezes as her lungs attempted to suck in as much oxygen as possible. Killian saw the girl's distress and smacked the man in the back of the head. Alexander finally came to his senses and quickly put her down, eyeing her apologetically. "Thank you."

"I hate to break up this reunion, but we really should get going before –" Killian started.

"'fore what, Jones?" a voice boomed from overhead. The group whipped around, only to come face to face with Blackbeard himself.

"Oh…shit…" murmured Evangeline, her eyes wide.

* * *

"Sarah, dear," her uncle's voice asked from what seemed like far away. Sarah blinked rapidly, her hand still holding a damp rag but no longer wiping down the table, and glanced around her. The tavern was still empty and quiet, save the sound of the ticking clock. Her uncle eyed her, clearly worried. "Are you alright?" Sarah just nodded her head, not trusting her voice, and continued cleaning the table she was at.

Ever since that incident a couple of weeks ago, memories of her old life have been coming back to her periodically and randomly. Sometimes they were just fleeting images, like a short video, that would play in front of her eyes quickly before she came back to reality. Other times, they hit her hard, causing her to zone out for minutes to hours at a time; and her uncle or someone around her would bring her out of the trance. Either way, these memories, this whole new life, was a lot to take in and process. And she wasn't the only one undergoing this stress either. The whole town was pretty much in the same boat. Sarah quickly finished the rest of the chores, put on her coat, and walked outside to head home.

She squinted in front of her as she walked, questions plaguing her mind. It had been a couple of weeks and there had been two reoccurring people in her memories that she had yet to see or have ever recalled seeing in Storybrooke, Maine: her brother, Alexander, and her captain, Killian Jones. She felt her heart flutter at the thought of the captain and scowled. Sarah McNealy did not know Killian Jones; but Evangeline did. However, Sarah was not particularly fond of the feelings she was feeling towards the stranger. She could not recall ever having such feelings during her time in Storybrooke and she had been here for – what had Mary Margret said? – 28 years! My lord, she technically was fifty-one! She scrunched her nose both in confusion of her feelings and disgust of her age. When had she turned into an emotional old hag?

As she passed the few people wandering the streets at four in the morning, she caught herself searching their faces, looking for green eyes similar to her own. It bothered her greatly that she had yet to see Alexander or that she could not recall seeing him at all prior to gaining her memories back. A chill ran down her spine as her mind whispered doubts: _is he even alive?_ Normally, Sarah felt as if a confident Evangeline would've scoffed at the doubt and immediately denied it. Alexander was her brother; he wasn't one to give in to death easily. However a memory she had a few nights ago ate at the edges of her mind, smothering the little hope she had to find her brother.

* * *

"_No, no, no, no, no!" Evangeline panicked, pressing harder into the wound. Alexander gasped in pain as more blood seeped onto her fingers. Killian was pulling at her shoulder and every time she would shake him off, batting his hand away. Evangeline silently counted to herself as she stared at the wound, willing it to stop bleeding._

"_Evangeline, we have to go," Killian urged, his eyes darted around the group. "_NOW. _Alexander is tough. He'll be fine."_

"_He's right," Alexander agreed, huffing painfully as he replaced her hands with her own. "Go, now. This is your only chance."_

"_No!" she glared at the men and went to continue pressing on the wound. Alexander pushed her hands away and leaned away, wincing at the movement. She continued to glare at him._

"_Jones," her brother nodded at the pirate. The captain nodded in understanding, his mouth in a firm line. Without a warning, Jones grabbed her by the waist and slung her over his shoulder. "Take good care of her."_

"_PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" Evangeline screamed, kicking her legs as best she could at the captain. Killian firmly pinned her legs to her chest, his hook arm across the back of her knees while his other arm wrapped just above it._

"_Evangeline!" Alexander scolded, putting his finger to his lips to shush her. She stared at him, panic and worry evident in her eyes, and started shaking her head. Alexander grabbed the side of her head with his hand, stopping the motion, and planted a firm kiss on her forehead. "I will find you. I promise."_

"_Alexander, no –" she started to say before she heard the footsteps of their pursuers._

"_Good luck, mate," Killian nodded. Alexander looked all around him before throwing a smirk to the pirate._

"_Keep it for yourself, you'll need it more than me." And with that Killian turned down an alley and began to run as Evangeline saw Alexander pull himself up some crates and disappear on the roof._

* * *

Sarah sucked in a breath, her eyes watering at fresh emotions that tugged at her heart. She felt scared and worried. She groaned, shaking her head and scrubbing her face with her hands. This whole trip down memory lane was emotionally draining. Sarah trudged up the stairs to her apartment, opened the door, and walked to her room. Plopping on her bed, she let sleep take her and with it more dreams.


End file.
